I just read a review of my book where a woman said “Well if you want to be a slave read Happy Housewives.” I would really like to clock this woman right in the nose. And it has nothing to do with her not liking my book. If you don’t like it fine. But where do these women come off thinking taking care of husband, your children, and your home, means you are a slave? Whose job is it? Is it for the hired help? Do you need a cleaning woman? A chef? A driver? The other night on the Housewives of New Jersey when Theresa told the party planner that she cleaned her own house the woman looked horrified. Theresa responded that she was ‘old school’ and did it herself. The woman looked disgusted. Theresa should have clocked her in the face too. Good for Theresa! She has a beautiful home (however so big I really don’t know how she keeps up with it) and she is proud of it. Why wouldn’t she want to keep it clean and take pride in that. And cooking for your children. Why wouldn’t you think it was your job to give your children good, homemade, nutritious meals? Is that beneath a woman? Who could call that slavery?
Now lets face it we all feel slaves to our homes sometimes. It isn’t glamorous folding laundry and picking up dog poo. But once again I will ask what is so glamorous about giving all your time and energy to our boss while you sit at some desk doing something no one really cares about. Is that business deal really as wonderful as your daughter laughing with you while playing in the baby pool? Does your boss get as excited about your business plan as your son does when you build a lego city? And at the end of the day do you really think you aren’t a slave for your paycheck?
If you have to work that is one thing. But if you are choosing to leave your baby all day because you want to work instead of staying home with your child, well, too bad for you.
Thank you! Seriously, I hear that so much. I love taking care of my family. It is a privilege.
Darla I just read your inspiring and common sense book “Happy Housewives” and I am in my 60s and enjoyed it. I was a stay at home mother/housewife too now my 4 sons are all grown and two have children one 21, one 4 and one 6. The latter two are full of energy and really tire their mom, so I think I am going to pass this book over to that daughter-in-law and hope she enjoys it as well as I did. We’ll see. Thanks for writing such a book. Kathy
Hear hear! I so agree with this. I get so angry when people talk about me being a slave to my home (or worse, when they ask if I get bored watching daytime tv all day). I love taking care of my family and my home and our whole family benefits so much from it
Whoever makes the comments that housewives are slaves should be horse-whipped. If that’s how they feel, they should immediately set free their slaves: the child-care providers, housekeepers/maids, nannies, chaufers, bankers, etc . . . . because they sure are paying a lot of money to employ people to do what they say we should be ashamed of doing for our own families!